Journal-box wedge



March 3l, 1931,. T. K. cUMMsNs 1,799,130

A JOURNAL Box WEDGE Filed March 8, 1928 Patented Mar. 3l, 1931 Y UnirseSTATES Arena' erica THOMAS K. CUMMTNS, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNORTO NORTHERN MALLEABLE IRON COMPANY, F ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATTONOF MINNESOTA JOURNAL-BOX WEDGE Application filed.V March 8,

This invention relates to journal boxes for railway car axles, andparticularly to the wedge member usually forming part of the journal boxconstruction.

One of the objects of'v the invention is to provide a simple, practicaland advantageous journal box and wedge member therefor.

Another object of the invention is to pro-` vide a wedge memberconstruct-ion which shall have a very long life and not be subject tothe usual wear and necessary replace- Y ment of wedge members ofthiskind.

lates.

Another object of the invention is to secure the foregoing and otherdesirable results in simple and expeditious manner.

Another object of the invention is to arrange for automatic lubricationof various parts of the journal box and associated element-s.

In the accompanying drawings: v

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of a journal box embodying myinvention and the end portion of a'railway car axle therein, saidsection being taken on line l l in Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken line 2-2 in Fig. l; i

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. l is a plan view similarto Fig. 2 of a modified form of ournal boxwedge, the ournal box itself and journal not being shown in Fig. 4;; andV Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

Referring first to' Figs. l to 3 inclusive vof the drawings, I show ajournal box 1 which may be of the usual construction or design and ajournal 2 therein. Also a brass 3 which may have a rBabbitt metal lining4 for the journal 2. A wedge 5 is shown between the brass 3 and the top1a of the journal box 1.

The wedge iis that portion of the device to which the invention moreparticularly re- This wedge preferably has a malleable iron, steel ordrop forged body portion and an upper wearing surface of a speciallyhard material such as high carbon or alloyed steel. While thisarrangement may be provided in various ways, I sho-w the wedge 5 OII .provided with a top recess or chamber into 1922s. serial No. 259,935.

which is fitted a wear plate 6 which may be made of the specially hardmaterial mentioned, such as high carbon or alloyed steel.

As a preferred arrangement this wear plate 6 is secured in yposition inits recess in a firm and secure manner but not in such manner as toprevent its removal and replacement by another plate. Preferably it issecured in position by rivets, such as rivets 7, of which several areused. These rivets pass through suitable apertures formed in the wearplate and also through apertures in the body portion of the wedge, whichis below the plate 6, as shown in Fig. 3. Recesses 8 are preferablyprovided in the underside ofthe wedge to accommodate the rivet heads 9and prevent their touching the journal brass 3. In this way the platevwill be held firmly and securely in position but may be removed andreplaced, if desired, by cutting off the rivet heads.

The rivet holes in the plate 6 are preferably countersunk, asshown inFig. 3, and these rivet holes are preferably punched with dies withsufficient tolerance to allow the metal to be pressed through so as toproject slightly` on the underside of the plate, as shown at 10. Alsothe rivet holes in the body portion of the wedge are preferablycountersunk so as to receive these projectingrims l0.

As a matter of further and specific improvement the upper portion of thebody of the wedge forming the seat for the plate 6, is preferablyrecessed or chambered as at 11 so as to make 'the wedge lighter and lessexpensive. v j

The wedge preferably has a radius at the top to engage the insidesurface of the journal box to provide a uniform bearing on the journalirrespective of irregularities in the railroad track, or otherconditions, and this radius is preferably provided by heating androlling the plate 6 so as to give it the proper radius by forming orcasting the seat of the wedge on which the plate rests lwith acorresponding radius so that when the plate is applied, ample bearingwill be provided for it throughout its length.

The tops of the heads of the rivets 7 are preferably flush with the topsurface of the wearing plate 6; Y f

ico

In this way an effective journal box structure is formed, and the highlyundesirable wear on the wedge, reducing the length of life of the sameis avoided, thereby giving not only high etliciency in the device, butalso effecting substantial savings.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, the recessedor chambered portions in the upper or seat portion of the wedge 5 aremade to serve as a receptacle for a lubricant, such as oil, andprovision is made for conveying this lubricant to different rts orelements of the device so that trictioiiJ and wear are reduced and thelife of both the journal box and wedge is increased.

Vhile this arrangement could be worked out in various ways, I showchambers or recesses 11a quite similar or recesses 11 of the previouslydescribed form of device and these chambers or recesses 11EL areconnected with one another on opposite sides ot' the wedge, as byshortening or cutting away portions of intervening ribs 12 so thatpassageways 13 are formed to connect the recesses 11a. Thus oil chambersextending substantially from side to side of the wedge are provided.

For permitting the escape or withdrawal of lubricant such as oil fromthese chambers, I show side ducts or passages 14, conveniently termed bycutting away portions of the side walls or partitions 15 of the wedge 5so as to form ducts or passages 14 extending under and beyond the sideedges of the wear plate G. It desired, wicks 16 of felt or othersuitable material may be arranged in the oil wells or receptacles andextended out through the side passages 14 and these wicks will serve towithdraw oil by capillary attraction and so lubricate the top and sidesof the journal box and wedge with the advantages above noted.

It will be understood that changes and modiications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

.Vhat I claim is:

1. A journal box wedge provided with a recess in its upper portion and awear plate fitted and secured in said recess, said wedge having its bodyportion forming the seat for said plate and being provided with otherrecesses.

2. A journal box wedge provided with a recess in its upper portion and aconvex wear plate extending substantially the length of the wedge andiitted and secured in said recess, said wear plate being of especiallyhard material.

3. A journal box wedge provided with a recess in its upper portion and awear plate fitted and secured in said recess, said wedge having its bodyportion forming the seat for said plate and being provided with otherrecesses, said wear plate being of especially hard material.

4. A journal box wedge having an upper recess and a Wear plate fitted insaid recess and rivets fastened through the wear plate and wedge to holdthe wear plate in position, said wear plate having countersunk aperturesfor the rivets and also having downwardly projecting rims on itsunderside and the wedge having countersunk apertures for said rims andalso having apertures for the rivet heads.

5. A journal box wedge composed otl two parts, including a body member,said member having a top recess, a wear plate fitted and secured in saidrecess, the seating portion of the wedge being provided with otherrecesses.

6. A journal box wedge composed of two parts, including a body member,said member having a top recess, a wear plate itted and secured in saidrecess, the seating portion of the wedge being provided with otherrecesses, the wear plate being oi: especially hard material.

7. A journal box wedge composed of two parts, including a body member,said mem ber having a top recess, a wear plate iitted and secured insaid recess, the seating portion ot the wedge being provided withrecesses, the body portion of the wedge being made ot' malleable iron orsteel and the wear plate being made of high carbon or alloyed steel.

8. A journal box wedge having its upper portion provided with a wearplate and having one or more recesses or chambers below said wearplateforming a lubricating chamber and also having ducts extending :tromthe sides of said chamber under the wear plate and upwardly to the sideof the same.

9. A journal box wedge having a hollowedout portion having a lubricantlchamber, a cover member removably secured on the upper side of thechamber, said cover constituting the upper contacting surface of thewedge.

10. A journal box wedge comprising a body portion, a lubricant reservoirformed therein, ay cover for the reservoir removably secured inposition, said cover also constituting a renewable wear-plate cooperablewith the body portion for completing the wedge.

n witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my naine this 17th day of Feby,A. D., 1928.

THOMAS K. CUMMINS.

